The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture

Listen to this sample lesson from Bishop Barron's course inside the Word on Fire Institute on "The Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar." Then join the Word on Fire Institute to get access to all twelves lessons in the course (along with all of Bishop Barron's films and study programs!)

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Our culture holds many different concepts of morality. In this episode, Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss three major theories–consequentialism, deontology/legalism, and virtue ethics–and how compatible each is with Catholicism.

A listener asks about the Word on Fire strategy for discipleship after we evangelize someone.

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Listen to this sample lesson from Bishop Barron's film and study program "Eucharist," and then get access to the full study program by joining the Word on Fire Institute.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

It's an exciting day as we celebrate the launch of Bishop Barron's newest book, Renewing Our Hope: Essays for the New Evangelization (CUA Press). The book pulls together 17 academic essays, talks, and papers that Bishop has composed over the past few years, and covers everything from evangelization, to theology, philosophy, the sex abuse crisis, the priesthood, relativism, liberalism, and even contemporary movies. Brandon and Bishop discuss the book in today's episode.

A listener asks how to dialogue with those who believe that Jesus is just one of many incarnations of God.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

How do we share the Faith in a culture where many people don't understand what we mean by words like "sin" or "salvation"—and where the media constantly bombards us with the idea that the teachings of the Church are irrelevant, outdated, or bigoted?

All too often, people aren't even interested in hearing about the Faith! Especially when we seek to reach young people or bring back those who have left the Church, we must find ways to communicate more effectively—in short, to make our arguments meaningful. Here, the imagination is essential, but often neglected.

In this sample lesson from her Word on Fire Institute course, Dr. Holly Ordway focuses on the role of the imagination in apologetics, showing how attention to language and meaning can make the work of catechesis and evangelization much more effective.

Want access to the rest of the course? Join the Word on Fire Institute today!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Last month, Jon Steingard, frontman of the Christian rock group Hawk Nelson, revealed that "he no longer believes in God" after spending his life as a devout Christian. His prominent de-conversion was profiled by The TODAY Show, People Magazine, NPR, and numerous other outlets. In today's episode of "The Word on Fire Show," Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt explore the reasons Jon Steingard gave to explain why he lost his faith.

A listener asks how to explain to a "none" the role of the Church's magisterium.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

The narrative that science and Christianity are enemies is false. Not only are they not enemies but Christianity helped science develop beyond the limits imposed on it by ancient cosmologies. In this sample lesson from her Word on Fire Institute course titled "Science for Evangelists," Dr. Trasancos introduces us to the basics of science and why there is no real conflict between science and Christianity.

Want access to the rest of the course? Join the Word on Fire Institute today!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In today's episode, Bishop Barron fields questions from people all over the world, including:

• How do we reconcile love as willing the good of the other with more exclusive love, such as the love between a husband and wife?
• Some Protestant theologians say that John 6 is not talking about transubstantiation because this dialogue took place before the institution of the Eucharist. What do you think?
• What does the Catholic Church say about predestination and free will?
• Why does God need to be worshipped and glorified, and need sacrifices? On human terms, this sounds like his love is conditional and he is insecure.
• Can dogma be changed or overthrown?
• Was Jesus a socialist?
• What are the essential qualities/qualifications needed for evangelism? Degrees or degree program recommendations?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share a sample lesson from Fr. Stephen Gadberry's course inside the Word on Fire Institute titled "The People You Will Meet." Knowing your audience is very important in effective evangelization. In this course, Fr. Gadberry distinguishes the different types of people you will likely meet. His advice is based on years of experience as a Catholic priest engaging people about the faith.

If you enjoyed this sample lesson from his course, you can enjoy the rest of them by signing up for the Word on Fire Institute!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

We're all hyper-distracted, pulled in so many directions from our phones, to TV, to social media. We're plagued by notifications, texts, pings, and alerts. Why do we put up with all these distractions? How can we avoid them? Bishop Barron shares how to fight back and find pleasure in "useless things."

A listener asks how to prove there's a transcendent dimension if it's not mathematically or scientifically provable.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!